Tick Tock
by InsanitySquared
Summary: As time passed on, so did they. -Team 10 centric- -Death fic-


-Asuma-

_tick tock tick tock_

He's only thirty-one when it happens. He still hasn't married. He still hasn't had a kid and watched it grow up. He still hasn't _lived._

But he lies there, coughing up the crimson blood, looking up at his team. His brats. They're so grown up, no longer the obnoxious genin he met that day. They're his pride and joy. His family. He knows it's the end.

He looks at Ino. His sweet, beautiful, loud Ino. She's become a prime example of a kunoichi. Cunning, ruthless, and fearless. The daughter he never had. He tells her to take care of her teammates and never lose to Sakura. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she promises to.

He turns to Chouji, his beloved fatass. He is strong, even if he doesn't think so. He's a gentleman: king, caring, and polite. Asuma remembers having to bribe him with food to get him to work. He would have laughed at the thought of it, had it not been so painful. Asuma tells him to be more confident in himself. And _maybe _diet a little. Chouji responds, telling him he'll try. Asuma grunts at him.

And then turns to Shikamaru. _Ah, Shikamaru._ The boy shows no emotions, but Asuma knows he's in turmoil inside. Asuma smiles at the prodigy. The boy was his favorite, even if he tried not to let it show. Through his lazy exterior, the boy was a genius and Asuma prides himself on being the first on to figure it out. He loves the boy as if he was his own son. He pulls him closer and tells him all about the king. The boy looks shocked but Asuma ignores it.

And as he takes his last drag, he subdues to the pain. Darkness overtakes him and he closes his eyes for the last time.

_

* * *

And so death takes the first one for his own_

* * *

-Ino-

_tick tock tick tock_

She's only sixteen when it happens. She still wasn't married. She still hasn't had a kid and watched it grow up to be strong. She still hasn't _lived._

She fights for her village, her friends, her family. She fights until her last breath. But when those kunai impale her back, she falls. She's had enough of the fighting and enough of watching those she's supposed to protect die.

She falls into Shikamaru's arms. He looks at her with frantic eyes. She only smiles, blood seeping from her mouth. She says she's sorry, she can't fight anymore. He tells her to stay awake (_Damnit Ino don't die on me) _and starts yelling for Sakura. Ino just smiles.

The medic-nin is there in a heartbeat. She gasps as she sees Ino. Trembling, she bends over her back, pulling out the kunai. With shaking hands, she tries to mend the wounds to no avail. The wounds were too deep and it was too late.

Drops hit Ino's back. She closes her eyes, recognizing the fact that she's as good as dead. Her whole life flashes before her eyes. Her and Shikamaru meeting for the first time, her, Shikamaru, and Chouji becoming friends, them becoming Team 10, her and Shikamaru falling in love.

She smiles. She's had a good life. Suddenly the pain becomes unbearable. She turns to Sakura and thanks her for everything. Sakura gives her a watery smile and responds by saying 'what for? I should be thanking you' Ino laughs at that. She then turns to Shikamaru. She notices the tears forming in the corner of his eyes. She raises her hand to wipe them away. Shikamaru cradles her hand to his face.

And with one last 'I love you' and one last kiss, Ino slips away, joining her sensei and mother

_

* * *

And so death takes the second one for his own._

* * *

-Shikamaru-

_tick tock tick tock_

He's only seventeen when it happens. He still hasn't married. He still hasn't had a kid and watched it grow up. He still hasn't _lived._

The war is over. The Shinobi Alliance is victorious. Everyone is happy.

_(Everyone except for him.)_

Ever since she closed her blue eyes, smiled her last smile, and slipped away, his life has not been the same. He has not been able to forget, not been able to think straight, not been able to move on. He spends every day with a hole in his chest.

After her death, he took mission after mission. He had meaningless one night stands with a plethora of blonde-haired, blue-eyed girls. He's drunk himself into oblivion everyday.

And now he stands near the edge of a ten story building, swaying slightly, half empty bottle of scotch in hand. He stands on the edge, willing himself to jump. But he can't. Coward, he thinks. But he still can't jump.

He thinks of Chouji, who was just as hurt as he is but learned to move on. He thinks of Naruto, who was forced to kill his best friend but still manages to smile everyday. He thinks of Neji, who lost his lover in the war but still manages to get up everyday and be normal. He thinks of all the people who have lost so much more but still manage to live.

But he's not like them. He is not that brave. He climbs onto the edge of the roof and sends a silent apology to Chouji, hoping he'll forgive him someday. He gathers his courage, takes one last sip of the alcohol and pushes himself of that roof. He lands with a splat, breaking his spinal cord. But you can still see the smile on his face.

Two days later, he joins his sensei and his love six feet under.

_

* * *

And so death takes the third one for his own_

* * *

-Chouji-

_tick tock tick tock_

He's only sixty-seven when it happens. But, unlike the others, he has been married. He has had a kid (two of them actually) and he has seen them grow up to be strong. He had _lived._

A heart attack. It happened at 2:37 A.M. Chouji was pronounced dead at 2:51. As it so happened, he did not feel a thing. It was peaceful.

His demise was not a sad one. He had spent the day with his grandkids, all three of them. They laughed and cheered and played games. It was the first time in years his whole family had been all together. And at night, before he went to bed, he told his wife, Misaki, that if he died right then, he would be happy. And he did. He died smiling.

_

* * *

And so death took the last one for his own._

* * *

.

.

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* * *

So that's my first fanfic. Please review and give criticism. I'm in dire need of it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any character mentioned in this story.


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